A New Life
by Artperf
Summary: Ichigo Kurosaki has a new life after death.
1. Chapter 1

A New Life:

Chapter 1, Impossible

Rukia felt her body shake as tears racked her body. The whole thing was impossible. Impossible. It couldn't be happening.

She felt an arm around her slim shoulders and looked up with red eyes to Renji. He looked down at her with red eyes as well. He also couldn't believe what had happened, but he knew that he couldn't even come close to what Rukia was feeling, what she had gone through.

The whole thing was impossible. The man who had defeated so many enemies, who had taken on the Soul Society, and won, the man defeated his own hollow, the man who had taken down Lord Aizen, and more importantly, has won Rukia's heart.

Ichigo Kurosaki had gone to Hell and back, literally, and gave up everything to protect the people he loved. He had knocked on Death's door many times, but was never let in. Until now.

Rukia's was heart broken. She held a piece of his shattered zanpakutō to her chest, trying to find something. Anything that would let her know that this was just a joke, Ichigo was still alive, but found nothing but a piece of metal. Usually, when a soul reaper died, their zanpakutō broke in half, but Ichigo's shattered.

Captain Kurotsuchi told her that that meant that Ichigo's soul was gone. It wouldn't go back to the world of the living, she wouldn't see it again. Ichigo was gone forever.

That was a shock on his family, his friends, and most of all, her.

Looking behind her, Rukia saw Ishida, Orihime, Chad, Ichigo's family, everyone. They were all holding a fragment of Zangetsu.

Orihime was crying, almost as bad as Rukia. Ishida was comforting her, but to no avail. After Ichigo was gone, she finally admitted to everyone that she had loved Ichigo, but never said anything. "Now," she had said, "That will always be my biggest regret."

Ichigo's younger sisters, Yuzu and Karin, were crying so hard, they had to sit down. Karin, who considered herself a tomboy and punched her father every time he tried to comfort her, was sobbing into her father's chest alongside Yuzu.

"Rukia." Rukia's older brother, Byakyua, called her.

She detached herself from Renji and walked up to her brother, who was standing at the front of the meeting room, where they were holding the ceremony for Ichigo. All the captains were there, even the Head Captain himself.

Rukia looked down at what was left of Ichigo. The hilt of his zanpakutō, his black kimono, the red chain that he had kept wrapped around his chest. Rukia gently wrapped her hand around the hilt of Zangetsu, and tried to lift it. To her surprise, it lifted easily. When Ichigo was alive, what made his sword so heavy to anyone other to him was that it was heavy with his spirit energy. But now, it was as light as any other shattered hilt.

Covering her mouth with her hand, Rukia fell to her knees; letting Zangetsu slip out of her hand as gut-wrenching sobs hit her body, wave after wave. Renji and Byakyua were at her side immediately.

The silver blade zoomed toward her. Even in her bankai state, Rukia wasn't fast enough to move out of the way. Her eyes widened when she realized that she was still locked in the too-powerful kido. A flash of black, and then something wet hit her face. The kido vanished and she was able to wipe her face. Rukia looked down at her hand, and started when she saw red.

"_Ichigo!"_ A voice cried out. Renji. Rukia looked up and froze when she saw the silver sword protruding through Ichigo's chest, his own black blade held out to the side, covered in blood. The monster that had done all this, its head hit the ground as Ichigo joined it.

"_Ichigo!_" This time, it was Rukia's voice that pierced the air. She leapt up, injuries forgotten, and caught Ichigo as he fell. A blur, and the captains that had accompanied them, only to be ambushed, were there. But they didn't do anything. They knew that that blade was made of negative energy, and they could do nothing to stop it from spreading through Ichigo's already fading form.

Rukia noticed that for a few split seconds, she could see right through Ichigo, and that he was suddenly light during that time.

"No! No!" She screamed. "Don't leave me. Ichigo, don't go!" She hugged him to her chest and was mortified to find that she actually felt her hands pass through him. It was impossible. This was impossible. He could not go. He could not leave her again. This was not happening. Rukia refused to believe it.

"Heh." Ichigo said. "Rukia, you're choking me." She loosened her grip and looked down at Ichigo, his head lying in her lap.

He reached up and touched her face, his eyes sad as the last pieces of his mask fell off. "Don't be sad, okay?"

"Huh?" How could she not be sad? The man she loved was dyeing in her arms!

"Don't be sad." Ichigo repeated. "I can't stand to see you sad. It's not a good look for you."

"Oh shut it." Rukia said, but smiled all the same. It started to rain, and she bent over Ichigo to keep the rain off his face.

He smiled back and wrapped his hand around her hair and tugged her head down. She complied and pressed his lips to his. It was the first time, and the last time she had kissed Ichigo. His lips tasted slightly of blood and strawberries.

Ichigo whispered into her lips, "I love you." She replied, "I love you too," but didn't here a reply. She looked down and saw Ichigo's brown eyes staring into hers as the light faded.

Rukia was sobbing at the front of the room, the sound loud in the almost quiet room. The captains were silent, even Kenpachi and his lieutenant.

Two figures stood at the back of the room. They were not sad, didn't see the reason. They were both clad in long black cloaks and hoods that covered identical kimonos, identical long blades, and identical faces, except for the eyes and hair color. The first figure had white hair, yellow on black eyes, and his blade was white. The other, his hair was orange, he had brown eyes, and his sword was black. They were both tall and of equal height, equal build, closer then twins. They didn't see the need to cry or feel sorrow; it was pointless, just like all other emotions. Emotions just got in the way.

"Lets go." The white haired one said before turning around and walking to the massive double doors.

"Right." The carrot top said. The white haired man's voice was almost exactly like the other man's, but his voice was twisted, higher pitched. The red head started to follow, but stopped. He looked at the crying figures clustered in the room. Their spiritual pressure was being released due to the lack of concentration. Another reason why emotions like empathy and sorrow were useless. The stench of their spiritual pressure was suffocating. The two men had to get out of there; they couldn't breathe. But the he couldn't leave just yet. His eyes followed the sobbing Rukia as she walked back to her friends. The Head Captain stood up and started talking, but the carrot top gave no attention.

Rukia then looked up and around, as if feeling his eyes on her. Noticing this, he put his head down, his hood falling farther and covering more of his face. He turned quickly and followed his partner, who was waiting at the door.

But in that turn, a small chunk of his hair fell out of his hood and swayed in the speed of the turn. He knew that the young soul reaper caught that glimpse, but hopefully, she would drop it as a fragment of her imagination, conjured up by her sorrow and wish for the man she loved. He couldn't do anything about it now. Besides, him and his twin had a job to do. Ichigo Kurosaki and his hollow had a new occupation.


	2. Chapter 2

A New Life:

Chapter 2, New Rules

Rukia wouldn't forget it. She didn't pass off the glimpse of that orange hair as a fragment of her imagination.

Flashback

Rukia felt eyes on her from behind. Pushing off Renji's arm, she turned around and surveyed the room. All was normal, except for that when she turned around, a figure in a black hood and cloak that seemed to be made of feathers turned quickly also. She couldn't see the face of the person, but just the way they stood was very familiar. It was male, by the size of him, with a slim but muscular form. With this new information, her gut was telling her that this man was someone very close whereas her head was saying that she didn't know that person.

But in that turn, a long chunk of hair fell out of the hood. It was orange, and not just any orange, Ichigo orange. She froze. Could that be…? He strode quickly to the large doors and there, Rukia saw him join another figure, exactly like the first, except, when the second man turned, she saw a flash of his hair as well. It was snow white.

They both slipped out of the large meeting room.

Rukia didn't waste a second. She ducked under Renji's arm and Byakyua's question of what are you doing and raced to the door, but was stopped by Renji's hand on her arm. By then, the doors were closing and Rukia flailed at him, causing him to let go to escape her nails and Rukia took off again. She couldn't lose this chance.

"Rukia!" He shouted.

She ignored him and pushed the doors open. The halls were empty. Maybe it _was_ just her imagination.

But then, she saw a black-cloaked figure disappear around a far corner.

With her hopes raised, she raced to that corner. When she reached it, though, she froze. The two figures were standing 10 feet away, next to each other.

"Hey!" She said.

The turned to her, and she stretched herself up, hoping for a glance at their faces. Nothing. Their faces were shrouded in shadow.

"Who are you? And why were you at Ichigo's ceremony? Why are you even here?"

No answer. Then the one on the left spoke. His voice was twisted, like many voices speaking together to form a somewhat high-pitched voice. Almost like that of a hollow.

"We need to go. Master wants to see us."

The other man didn't acknowledge the first. He kept his gaze on Rukia, who felt as if his eyes were boring into her soul.

"Who are you?" She finally managed to say.

"No one you should follow." He said. She stiffened. It was Ichigo's voice. It had to be.

"Rukia!" Renji suddenly stormed around the corner just in time to hear the man speak. He froze, recognizing his friend's voice.

The other man, the white haired one, said, "We need to go."

"Hm."

Then both figures turned and shot down the hall, not using shunpo, but still running extremely fast, inhumanly fast, faster then Yachiru.

"Hey!" Renji shouted after them, but they ignored him.

"_Ichigo!_" Rukia shouted, but Ichigo paid her no heed.

Just then, Byakyua turned into the hall from a corner halfway down the hall. The first thing he saw was a black blur as the two men whooshed past him and continued, not even slowing down as they pasted the captain. Byakyua's head whipped around to follow them but they were gone from his sight within a few seconds. He didn't even have time to react. Looking down the hall to Rukia and Renji, he heard Rukia shout.

But the men were gone.

It was him. It had to be. No other person had that hair and that voice.

But then that left the question, what was he doing? Ichigo had died in her arms, there was no way he was alive. And who was that with him? White hair and a voice like Ichigo's but also like a hollow. If she didn't know better, she would have said that he was Ichigo's hollow manifested.

And if that was true, then who was "Master"?

_Master wants to see us._

Walking down to her captain's office, she thought about these things. She was so lost in her thoughts that she walked directly into Orihime, who just wandering the squad 13 barracks. She and the others were staying there for the ceremony.

"Oh!" Orihime shouted in surprise. "Rukia! How are you? I saw you run out earlier, are you alright?"

"Huh?" Rukia said. She was still lost in her own thoughts and doubts.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm going to my captain's office."

"Can I come?" Rukia looked up at her. Why did Orihime want to come with her to Captain Ukitake's office? Then it hit her. Rukia could tell that the girl wasn't just wandering the halls of the barracks, but she was wondering the halls of her memories. Memories of Ichigo, all her times with him, all the stupid comments, and the things she could have said.

"Alright." Rukia answered. Orihime's face lit up, she was looking for something to boost her put-down emotions.

After walking side-by-side in silence for a few minutes, Orihime asked a question.

"So why are we going to Captain Ukitake's room?"

"I have something I need to discuss with him about Ichigo. There's a chance that Ichigo is still alive. Somewhere."

Orihime stopped in her tracks. "What?" She barely seemed to whisper.

"What are you talking about?"

Rukia kept walking, silent, until, "I'll explain when we get to my captain's room." Orihime started walking again, faster to catch up to the young lieutenant.

They stopped outside a door marked 13. After knocking gently, the girls were greeted by a soft voice. "Come in, Rukia."

Rukia slid the door open, "Orihime is here too, is that okay, Captain Ukitake?"

"How many times, Rukia? Call me Ukitake, and yes, it's all right. I understand you wanted to speak to me about Ichigo?"

Rukia stepped into the room, followed by Orihime. The captain of the 13th squad's room was covered in pillows and was formatted into a mini hospital room. Due to his disease, his fellow captains and squad members always feared that he would collapse and hurt himself.

Ukitake was sitting at his desk and he gestured to the two chairs in front of it as the girls sat down.

He leaned forward. "Now, what is this about Ichigo?"

Rukia seemed nervous. "Well, I think that Ichigo is alive."

Her captain put on a pitying face. "Now, Rukia, I know you miss him, but-"

She slammed her hand down on the table. Orihime jumped. "I didn't imagine it! I saw him! But he-" she sat down. "He was him, but not at the same time."

Ukitake wore a serous face once more. "Tell me what you saw."

Rukia swallowed.

"Well, remember when I ran out of the meeting room?"

He nodded.

"It was because I noticed something. At the back of the room were two figures in black cloaks about 6 feet tall each. When I turned around, one of them turned around as well and started walking out, following the other. I couldn't see their faces, but I saw a bit of their hair."  
Orihime looked up and gripped Rukia's arm. "What color?"

"White and orange. One of the men's hair was white, the other orange. Bright orange."

Ukitake wasn't impressed. "What other evidence do you have to believe that this man was possibly Ichigo?"

Rukia looked her captain in the eye. "I ran out of the meeting room and followed them. I caught up at the far left corner of the hallway. I said stop and asked who are you, and Ichi-, or the orange haired man replied, No one you should follow. But In Ichigo's exact voice! And then-" Her captain cut her off with a raised hand.

"Look, Rukia. I understand that we need to investigate these two men that somehow got into the Seritae, and I don't mean to be so blunt, but I think you just imagined that his voice was Ichigo's. You were missing him and this man was his height and had the same color hair, so I think you just imagined the voice."  
"No!" Rukia stood up; her captain sighed. "Renji was there too. He heard the man's voice too. Or even better, get Captain Kurotsuchi to look at the camera recording. You know there are video camera's everywhere, especially outside the meeting hall, get him to check them, please!"

Ukitake smiled slightly. "Very well. If that is what you request, very well." He stood and went over to a black hell butterfly that was perched by the door. He spoke into it for a few minutes, and finally turned around and looked at the girls perched eagerly on the two chairs.

"Alright, lets go. Captain Kurotsuchi is waiting for us."

"Wait, I want to get Renji."

"Very well, but meet us at Captain Kurotsuchi's office."

"Thank you very much, Captain."

Rukia took off.


	3. Chapter 3

A new Life

Chapter 3: Report

"Ah, Rukia, there you are." Captain Ukitake said, beckoning her over to the large monitor. Captain Kurotsuchi was sitting at his large 'keyboard' and was typing furiously.

"Captain Kurotsuchi is searching through the records and videos from yesterday to find out man." Ukitake explained.

"The possibility of a soul reaper whose soul dissolved, coming back? I must know more. If that's true, I must track him down and study him." Kurotsuchi was saying.

Renji followed Rukia into the large room and stood next to her captain who was leaning over Kurotsuchi. Ukitake motioned for Rukia to step closer, and when she did, Kurotsuchi exclaimed in delight. "Found it! The video and audio recording of that hallway."

"Really?" They all stepped closer to the screen as Kurotsuchi turned up the volume.

Static, then a grainy picture zoomed into focus of a hallway.

Two black cloaked figures swung around the corner and stopped. One spoke up, "She's following us. I knew we should have left earlier." It was a twisted, hollow's voice. _The white haired one, Rukia thought._

A few seconds later, a small Rukia ran around the corner, breathing hard. She stopped suddenly when she saw the two men.

"Who are you? And why were you at Ichigo's ceremony? Why are you even here?" Rukia's voice came out of the speakers.

"We need to go. Master wants to see us." The white haired one spoke.

All three figures were still until the other man spoke. The listeners leaned in as Kurotsuchi turned up the volume even more.

"Who are you?" The Rukia on the screen said.

Silence. Then, a small Renji sped around the corner.

All four listeners gasped when they heard Ichigo's voice.

"No one you should follow." He said. Rukia froze, all over again.

"We need to go." The hollow voice spoke again.  
"Hm." The two small men turned and sped off as Captain Kurotsuchi paused the video.

"Well, that was unexpected." Ukitake spoke up over the silence. He turned to Rukia and Renji. "I apologize for doubting you. That was most defiantly Ichigo's voice. But what I am not so sure of is the fact that that is Ichigo. After all, his soul dissolved."

Rukia could not accept that.

"But what if it did survive somehow. Ichigo had massive power _and_ a hollow. The hollow could have saved him at the last second. It's happened before! And-"

Kurotsuchi cut her off.

"That is possible, and your reason if sound. Ichigo did have massive power under his control. Many powerful spirits, maybe even the Royal family, would want that power. They could have saved Ichigo as he died and employed him under themselves for their own uses. It is possible.

Ukitake nodded. "That makes more sense. So, if that's true, the he is somewhere out in the world. But where?"

Renji held up a hand. "One question; or two actually. If that was Ichigo, then who was that other guy with him? And who is _Master_?"

Rukia was silent. She opened her mouth and started to speak, but stopped, thinking.

Ukitake turned to her, "What is it? Do you have any thoughts?"

"Yeah, but it's impossible."

Kurotsuchi exploded. "When in this kind of situation, nothing is too impossible! Answer the question!"

She jumped. "Of course, my apologies, Captain Kurotsuchi. I think that that other man; the white haired one is Ichigo's hollow in a manifested form. Just think about it. Ichigo never described his hollow, but I Urihara once told me about what an inner hollow looks like."

Kurotsuchi leaned forward. This was something new.

"An inner hollow looks exactly like the master, except for one thing. Everything is opposite and white. The hair is white, the skin is white, even the soul reaper uniform is white. The blade is exactly the same with the same attacks, but the opposite colors, and the eyes are a hollow's eyes. In this case, yellow on black."

Kurotsuchi stood up and pulled out something that looked like a flash drive from his machine.

Pushing it into his pocket, he turned to his audience. "We must report this. If Ichigo is alive, the Head Captain must know. With his permission, I can track down this lone Ichigo." He grinned an evil smile. His audience cringed. "Then, I can dissect and experiment.


End file.
